Pictorial Photographers of America

Founded in 1916, the Pictorial Photographers of America was not a single writer but an organization of photographers and advocates for artistic photography. Its publications presented photography as an expressive art form rather than simple documentation, reflecting the broader pictorialist movement of the time.

The group published annual volumes such as Pictorial Photography in America, which combined photographic plates with commentary and statements about its mission. In those works, the organization described goals that included encouraging art photography, supporting museum and library collections of photographic prints, and promoting public appreciation through exhibitions, lectures, and publications.

Today, these books offer a window into a moment when photographers were arguing for photography's place among the arts. They remain valuable for listeners and readers interested in the history of photography, American visual culture, and the people who helped build that tradition.